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Itinerary for Feb 16 — Feb 21, 2014

Description: Hotel is located on Lake Osprey in the Nationally Renowned Master Planned Community of Lakewood Ranch, minutes from many of the area attractions. Close to restaurants, a hospital, pharmacy, grocery stores, movie theaters, hair salons etc., some within walking distance.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $119-$149 AAA discount ratePlease make reservations as soon as possible this hotel fills up quickly during season. Please call the hotel directly at 941-782-4400 not the national toll free number in order to receive the AAA discounted rate.

Afternoon: ORIENTATION: Begins at 5:00pm in our private meeting room. We'll have an overview of the program ahead and review the up-to-date schedule, responsibilities, safety, guidelines, emergency procedures, and any other administrative issues. Please be aware that local circumstances may require adjusting program elements. In the event of changes we will notify you as quickly as possible. We appreciate your understanding.

Dinner: The dinner will be served at the hotel in the private meeting room at approx. 6:00pm. (There will be a vegetarian option available if you noted a vegetarian preference on your Health & Safety form.)

Evening: GETTING TO KNOW YOU: After dinner we'll spend some time becoming better acquainted with participants and program staff. Find out what you have in common beyond a love of learning! The rest of the evening is yours to continue making new friends or just to relax and prepare for the full day of activity ahead.

Description: Hotel is located on Lake Osprey in the Nationally Renowned Master Planned Community of Lakewood Ranch, minutes from many of the area attractions. Close to restaurants, a hospital, pharmacy, grocery stores, movie theaters, hair salons etc., some within walking distance.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $119-$149 AAA discount ratePlease make reservations as soon as possible this hotel fills up quickly during season. Please call the hotel directly at 941-782-4400 not the national toll free number in order to receive the AAA discounted rate.

Note: In order to see all of the exhibits at Mote there will be walking up to 1 mile.

Breakfast: Breakfast will be served in the private meeting room and is a continental breakfast.

Morning: PRESENTATION: Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart were introduced in 1919, when both attended Columbia University and were asked to write an amateur club show. After writing together for several years, they produced their first successful Broadway musical, The Garrick Gaieties, in 1925, which introduced their hit song, "Manhattan." Listen and discuss their musicals and films.

PRESENTATION: Learn about the shark research taking place at the Mote Marine Laboratory. Mote staff continue their shark obsession with the Shark Habitat, the nation's only congressional designated Center for Shark Research.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: At Mote, you can explore the secrets of the sea through touch pools, viewable-working labs and high-tech interactive exhibits that showcase the world-renowned research of Mote Marine Laboratory. See sharks, dolphins, manatees and sea turtles, along with more than 100 other species of marine life.
Florida has nurse sharks, bull sharks, blacktips and sandbar sharks — among others — and you can get closer than you’d like at Mote’s 135,000-gallon shark habitat. This exhibit is also home to the world’s largest grouper species, the Goliath grouper (yes, he’s a cousin to Florida ’s favorite seafood dish) and some of the world’s most sporting fish: tarpon, snook and redfish. That's nearly a grand slam, by local angling lore.

Description: Hotel is located on Lake Osprey in the Nationally Renowned Master Planned Community of Lakewood Ranch, minutes from many of the area attractions. Close to restaurants, a hospital, pharmacy, grocery stores, movie theaters, hair salons etc., some within walking distance.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $119-$149 AAA discount ratePlease make reservations as soon as possible this hotel fills up quickly during season. Please call the hotel directly at 941-782-4400 not the national toll free number in order to receive the AAA discounted rate.

Rodgers & Hart their music, lives and relationship, Florida's river ecology, history and culture, Florida's river economics and politics, Interactive walk with shelling expert on a local beach for shell identification.

Note: Enjoy walking up to 1/2 a mile on a sandy beach with uneven terrain.

Breakfast: Breakfast will be served in the private meeting room and will be continental breakfast with eggs and a breakfast meat on the third and fifth mornings.

FIELD TRIP: Visit a local beach with a shelling expert for a close up look at Florida shells. There are over 50,000 different kinds of shells (ie, seashells and landsnails and fresh water shell-bearing Molluscs), many with dozens or even hundreds of color and pattern combinations to find and enjoy. Expert will help to identify various shells you may find on the beach as you walk. Learn the various types of shells you will encounter as you walk on the beach. Learn what is rare and what is common. Shelling guide will be provided for your use during the field trip.

Description: Hotel is located on Lake Osprey in the Nationally Renowned Master Planned Community of Lakewood Ranch, minutes from many of the area attractions. Close to restaurants, a hospital, pharmacy, grocery stores, movie theaters, hair salons etc., some within walking distance.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $119-$149 AAA discount ratePlease make reservations as soon as possible this hotel fills up quickly during season. Please call the hotel directly at 941-782-4400 not the national toll free number in order to receive the AAA discounted rate.

Check in time: 3:00 PM

Day Four: Wednesday, February 19 - Myakka River State Park for ride on a giant airbo...

Myakka River State Park for ride on a giant airboat, picnic lunch, Dinner on your own in the Lakewood Ranch area.

Note: Walking at Myakka State Park could be up to 1 mile on paths and uneven terrain. The giant airboat ride is very smooth.

Breakfast: Breakfast will be served in the private meeting room and is a continental breakfast.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Myakka River State Park and discover how The Myakka was designated a Florida Wild and Scenic River by State legislature in 1985. It is one of only two rivers in Florida to be recognized with this special status. The act provides for preservation and management of the 34-mile portion of the river within Sarasota County.

Hop aboard one of the world's largest airboats, the Myakka Maiden or the Gator Gal, and take a scenic cruise of the Upper Myakka Lake. Hear intriguing stories about the alligator, anhinga and sandhill crane as you become acquainted with the variety of creatures that make their home here.
These slow-moving but powerful air-powered boats venture into shallow, grassy areas where traditional craft of such size could not go.
The leisurely ride is safe and smooth, allowing ample time for photographs.

Lunch: Picnic lunch at the state park.

Afternoon: CONTINUATION OF FIELD TRIP: The canopy walkway is on a spur trail that goes off of the Boylston Nature Trail. Group walk to the spur trail and then to the walkway, it takes about 5 minutes to reach the walkway. Then take to the treetops with a stroll along the canopy walkway.
Return to the hotel and relax before dinner.

Dinner: Dinner on your own at a Lakewood Ranch area restaurant. Opportunity to dine with new friends with transportation provided.

Description: Hotel is located on Lake Osprey in the Nationally Renowned Master Planned Community of Lakewood Ranch, minutes from many of the area attractions. Close to restaurants, a hospital, pharmacy, grocery stores, movie theaters, hair salons etc., some within walking distance.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: $119-$149 AAA discount ratePlease make reservations as soon as possible this hotel fills up quickly during season. Please call the hotel directly at 941-782-4400 not the national toll free number in order to receive the AAA discounted rate.

Roger's & Hart, Florida River presentation, field trip to park on the Key, see the play "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," at the Asolo.

Note: Uneven walking up to one mile through various uneven terrain, shorelines, sandy beaches and mangrove areas. When attending the theatre the bus will drop participants off in front of theatre and will pick up in front of the theatre.

Breakfast: Breakfast will be served in the private meeting room and will be continental breakfast with eggs and a breakfast meat on the third and fifth mornings.

Morning: PRESENTATION: Learn how Hart's lyrics, facile, vernacular, dazzling, sometimes playful, sometimes melancholic, raised the standard for Broadway songwriting. His ability to write cleverly and to come up with unexpected, polysyllabic rhymes was something of a trademark and learn how he also had the even rarer ability to write with utmost simplicity and deep emotion.

PRESENTATION: Talkback on your airboat ride at Myakka River State Park.

Lunch: Lunch will be at the hotel in our private meeting room.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: To a park on the Key with expert to view the Coastal Ecosystems and help you identify varied forms of marine life, native coastal plants and fossils. In order to fully appreciate this experience you will get your feet wet. (water shoes or old sneakers are recommended.)

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel or at an area restaurant.

Evening: PERFORMANCE: See the play "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," at the Asolo Theatre, by by Christopher Durang and directed by Peter Amster .

It’s a lovely day at Vanya and Sonia’s farmhouse in Bucks County, PA. But instead of spending the morning strolling through their cherry orchard, these wacky siblings have their hands full with a prophetic cleaning woman, a neighborhood costume party, and a surprise visit from their movie star sister Masha and her studly new boy-toy, Spike. One of the funniest dramatists writing today, Christopher Durang’s latest Broadway hit turns Chekhov on its head and his signature blend of comedy and absurdity has never been more endearing—or relentlessly funny.

Day Six: Friday, February 21 - Wrap up of week with a musical theatre presentati...

Note: Morning class at the hotel, lunch to go or stay, program ends.

Breakfast: Breakfast will be served in the private meeting room and is a continental breakfast.

Morning: PRESENTATION: Wrap-up of the magical music of Rodgers & Hart.

Lunch: Opportunity to create your own sandwich with a to go lunch offered on Fridays to allow students who need to catch an early flight to take their lunch with them. Students who do not need to leave can enjoy their lunch in the meeting room or on the patio by the pool. Program ends at 10:30am followed by lunch.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Free Time Opportunities

Sarasota, FL

Sarasota attractionsSarasota is known as the cultural arts center of Florida. The area has a plethora of activities: Selby Botanical Gardens, Ringling Museum of Art, Mote Marine Aquarium, Historic Spanish Point, Sarasota Jungle Gardens, Florida WestCoast Symphony, Sarasota Opera House, Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, Sarasota Ballet Co., Asolo Theatre Co. The area also offers several high quality beaches, boat rentals, water skiing, canoeing and kayaking. Hiking in two local state parks. The Sarasota Polo Club is close to the Holiday Inn-Lakewood Ranch.For additional information, visit: www.sarasotafl.org/

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

Need Help?

The latest in light, portable, easy-to-use QUIETVOX listening devices are available on Road Scholar programs.* Whether you are outdoors, in a crowd or in a museum environment where speaking loudly is discouraged, a listening device makes it feel like our experts are speaking clearly and directly to you. Hear for yourself on a Road Scholar adventure!

*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!